L5R JYTB – Campaign Report 21

24 October, 2010

New Duties

Having survived the assault by the forces of the Dark, Seppun Keikyoku places new wards and ofuda to protect the temple. Our heroes limped their way back towards Yasuki Yashiki. The next day, they run into a reinforced Crab patrol lead by Kuni Hotohara, the Kuni commander of the Yasuki lands, who had sensed the awakening of the forces of evil, he sends part of his patrol to safeguard the temple while escorting the group back. Once back, the Seppun requisitions transport and the then they ride north through Scorpion lands to Beiden Pass, where the Emperor is again trying to negotiate a peace between the Lion and the Scorpion Clans.

As a man of some status, Seppun Keikyoku is able to gain an audience with the Emperor in Court in only a matter of days. There Keikyoku gives an impassioned history of the Jade Legion and tells of the finding of the lost temple and its valiant defense. The Emperor and the Court and quite moved. Later Seppun Keikyoku is appointed as a Jade Magistrate, a post that had been languishing in official obscurity for centuries, and tasked with seeking out further remnants of the Jade Legion and other historical artifact with which to guard the Empire. While several of the yoriki receive promotions as well: Soshi Utami and Toku Kobo are promoted to Clan Magistrates, Utami by Bayushi Minhzang -acting under orders of Bayushi Sandai, Scorpion Clan Champion, who she is representing at the negotiations- and Kobo by his Daimyo, who happens to be present at this court. Hida Yo promoted to Gunso which is witnessed by the Crab delegation.

They have a few days of rest before they are summoned to meet with Doji Akira, who is still their commander for all their increases in status. He informs them, “As you are no doubt aware, the village of Samuzora (‘cold weather’) at where the White Gold River joins the River of Gold, is on lands unclaimed by any Clans and thus under Imperial authority. This has not been a matter of concern until last spring, when loose gold was found along the river’s edge. Since then, many have migrated to the village seeking to make their fortune by harvesting this gold. Naturally, ronin, bandits and criminals have come to prey upon them. You have been assigned to bring order to Samuzora.”

Sochi Utami and Toku Kobo are placed as joint magistrates in charge of Samuzora, their decrees, when jointly signed, carry the weight of Imperial Law. They are also assigned a Moto samurai as an additional aide for their task and sent immediate South to take their post.

At their camp a day outside of Samuzora, they were attacked by waves of walking dead wearing ancient porcelain masks and briefly weakened by dark magic. The fight was brief but brutal, the Hida almost being pulled down by unliving attackers before the Kitsune had the fire kami bless him with fires of purity which left burning zombies scattered around. Investigating, it seems as though someone had set this trap for them and they found a blind in the woods with a dessicated goat, apparently from blood magic as its throat was slit, where someone could have observed them in the night.

The next day, they came into sight of their new post. A ramshackle shanty town, sprawling along the riving among ill-tended rice paddies.

Notes: The zombie attack was tacked on so that C, our new player with the Moto, could see how combat worked.

The basic plot, the characters being joint-magistrates of Samuzora, I adapted from a failed online L5R game I tried called the Tale of Three Magistrates. Hopefully it will work out better this time.